Method for restoring railway ties

ABSTRACT

Railway ties are restored while remaining in the railway bed and without removing the rails nor the bed plates which support the rails. After removing the spikes, the holes in the ties are bored-out by a drill passing smoothly through the spike holes in the bed plates. Metallic inserts, either a rod bent into a double U-shape or shaped into a helix are then placed in the bored-out holes and a filling of a hardening synthetic resin plastic is poured into the holes. The bed plates are raised somewhat from the ties and supported each by at least two spacing strips to form a narrow gap between the lower face of the bed plates and the top faces of the ties and then spikes are driven into the resin-filled holes, whereby the hardening synthetic resin plastic displaced by the spikes fills the gap between the bed plates and the railway ties.

[ Feb. 13, 1973 2,886,248 5 1959 Laudig....t........................238/DIG.l

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney-Singer, Stern & Carlberg ABSTRACT ties are restored while remaining in the raily y bed and without removing the rails nor the bed lates which support the rails. After removing the 'kes, the holes in the ties are bored-out by a drill g smoothly through the spike holes in the bed lates. Metallic inserts, either a rod bent into a double -shape or shaped into a helix are then placed in the bored-out holes and a filling of a hardening synthetic resin plastic is poured into the holes. The bed plates are raised somewhat from the ties and supported each at least two spacing strips to form a narrow gap between the lower face of the bed plates and the top faces of the ties and then spikes are driven into the filled holes, whereby the hardening synthetic resin plastic displaced by the spikes fills the gap between the bed plates and the railway ties.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures United States Patent 1191 Neumann [54] METHOD FOR RESTORING RAILWAY TIES [75] Inventor: Gunter Neumann, l06 Theresienfeld, Austria [73] Assignee: Gunter Neumann Terrasan-Erzeugnisse, Theresienfeld, Austria PATENTEDFEBI 3191s SHEEI 10F 2 FIG! ATTORNEYS PAIENTEU FEB 1 3 I973 ,716,50 SHEET 20F 2 INVENTOR. Y GzmZerMu/na/m Arrow/5y:

METHOD FOR RESTORING RAILWAY TIES The invention relates to a method for restoring the timber ties or the wooden dowels in concrete ties in a railway track within the range of the bed plates which are employed for the attachment of the rails, whereby these bed plates are provided with holes through which the screw spikes or the track spikes respectively, pass which secure the bed plates to the railway ties. Screw spikes which are screwed into the wood and track spikes which are hammered into wood have the disadvantages that they become loose when the wood in the range of the spikes decays. Therefore, screw spikes or track spikes have to be tightened within predetermined intervals. This holds true for timber ties and also for concrete ties in the latter of which the screw spikes or track spikes are driven into wooden dowels. After a certain time, however, such a tightening procedure is no longer possible, because the wood in the neighborhood of the spike holes on account of moisture, biological influences, stresses, corrosion and the like, has become so deteriorated and disintegrated that the screw spikes or track spikes no longer have a sufficient hold therein. In cases of this type, one was heretofore forced to replace the railway ties, and this requires a considerable amount of time and labor.

It has been proposed heretofore to repair the timber ties by closing the decayed holes with wooden dowels and to slidably displace the bed plates which support the rails away from their old position and then to screw these plates to the tie in the new position. This type of repair is also very time-consuming and expensive and does not at all insure a safe and reliable attachment of the screw spikes or the track spikes.

It is also known to bore out the screw holes in the railway ties and to fill these holes with a hardening dowel composition in which the screw spike is inserted. In doing this, however, the traffic on the respective track has to be interrupted until the dowel composition has hardened sufficiently. One has also prepared railway ties in this manner by previously removing the same completely from the track bed. However, a reliable attachment of the screw spikes or the track spikes in the mentioned dowel composition is not at all obtainable.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the above mentioned disadvantages in the restoration of railway ties, and in doing this, the invention provides a method for restoring of railway ties which is suitable not only for timber ties, but also for concrete ties which in the range of the bed plates are provided with wooden dowels. The method of the invention is simple and inexpensive in practice.

Another object of the invention is a method of the above mentioned type in which a reliable and safe attachment of the screw spike or the track spike in the railway tie is obtained, whereby this method can be practiced without removing the railway tie from the railway track and without slidably displacing the bed plate on the railway tie.

Still another object of the invention is a method of the above mentioned type which permits the restoration of timber ties or the restoration of the wooden dowels used in concrete railway ties without removing these ties from the railway track prior to their restoration.

Still another object of the invention is a method in which a restoration of the top surface of timber ties within the range of the bed plates is accomplished. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method in which a decay of the wood in timber ties within the range of the bed plates is practically made impossible after the method of the invention has been practiced.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings which disclose various embodiments for practicing the method of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates in a side elevation view, a section of a railway track with bed plates and railway ties;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view along the line II-II of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a top elevation view of a rail together with a bed plate and a portion of a railway tie consisting of wood;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view similar to FIG. 3, but in this case in connection with the use of a concrete railway tie;

FIG. 5 illustrates the fixing of a screw spike in a timber tie after the method of the present invention has been completed. This FIG. 5 is substantially a longitudinal sectional view along the line V-V of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view along the line VIVI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates in a perspective view an insert which is used in the attachment of the screw spike illustrated in the FIGS. 5 and 6. This insert has been inserted in a bored-out hole in the wooden tie and comes into engagement with the screw spike;

FIG. 8 illustrates the attachment of a screw spike in a view similar to FIG. 5, however, in this embodiment another insert has been used for securing the screw spike in the bored-out hole of the railway tie;

FIG. 9 illustrates a side elevation view of the insert used in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an end view of the insert of FIG. 9.

Referring to the FIGS. 1 and 2, the attachment of a rail 14 to a timber tie l is accomplished by means of a bed plate 3 having holes therein through which screw spikes 2 extend in order to be screwed into a hole provided in the timber tie 1. If in such a railway track, it is desired to restore the timber tie l in accordance with the method of the present invention, then first of all the screw spikes 2 are removed by means of a suitable tool which engages the screw heads 13; thereupon the hole in the timber tie 1 is bored out by means of a suitable tool which passes through the holes 15 in the bed plate 13. Obviously the boring tool has to be smaller in diameter than the hole 15 in the bed plate 3 but has to be larger than the overall diameter of the thread 5 on the screw spike 2 which is to be inserted in the boredout hole 4. In this manner, practically the entire decayed material of the tie is bored out and only the healthy part of it remains. Prior to the boring of the hole 4, if necessary, the wheel track or gauge of the rail track is fixed, and bent rails and rail ends are straightened. This is accomplished with the assistance of track clamps and range spacers which give the rail the desired shape. In connection herewith one proceeds in this manner that first one rail is brought into the correct position by bracing the track clamps and range spacers on the other rail and after this one rail has been fixed to'the ties in accordance with the method of the present invention, then the second rail is put into the correct position with the assistance of the wheel gauge.

After these screw holes have been bored out, one produces on both sides of the railway track and parallel to the same two grooves 21, namely one to each side of the bed plate as shown in FIG. 3. These grooves 21 are preferably milled into the timber tie l. The purpose of these grooves will be explained later. The bored-out hole 4 will then be cleaned by filling it first of all with a suitable solvent which takes up all of the impurities in the hole and also removes in part any moisture; after this is done, a final cleaning of the hole takes place.

Now the bed plate 3 within the range of the hole 4 is cleansed of tar and other impurities-for instanceby fast rotating wire brushes. Thereupon distance pieces 20, as shown in FIG. 3, are placed under the edges of the bed plates, so that a gap (FIG. 5) is formed between the lower face of the bed plate 3 and the upper face of the tie 1.

in order to give the screw spike a sufficient hold in the hole after its insertion, a spreadable insert of suitable material-preferably ironand having a suitable form, is inserted in the hole 4. This takes place before a hardening synthetic resin plastic is placed into the hole 4. A suitable embodiment of such an insert is illustrated in FlG. 7, and it consists of four spaced parallel and longitudinally extending rod portions 6 composed of a single piece of rod material and bent in suitable places as shown, so that the entire insert as a unit may be inserted in the hole 4. The upper ends of each two rod portions 6 are provided with transversely bent portions 7 and 8, whereby the transverse portion 8 is positioned somewhat higher than the other transverse portion 7, so that after this insert has been placed in the hole 4, the screw spike or track spike when inserted will easily pass into the hole without difficulty. The transverse portion 7 and 8 insure a screw track guide and also form a spacer which during the insertion of the screw spike and during the first rotative movement of the same prevent a slidable displacement of the insert in the direction of rotation. The lower ends of the lengthwise-extending rod portions 6 are provided with transverse portions 9. The drawing also illustrates that the insert is made of a four-corner rod material which is also twisted, so that helical edges are formed which in the manner of a screw cooperate with the convolutions of the screw spike 5 and on the other hand, press themselves into the material of the tie 1.

After the insert shown in FIG. 7 has been inserted in the hole 4, the hole is filled with a synthetic resin plastic to which a hardening substance has been added. As hardening synthetic resin plastic one may usefor instancea mixture comprising an unsaturated polyester-for instance, polymaleic acid glycolester and an unsaturated monomer-for instance, styrolto which conventional catalysts have been added-for instance, benzoyl peroxideand an accelerator-for in stance, cobalt naphthenate. The employment of such a synthetic resin plastic insures'a very good adherence to the wood of the tie and also makes it possible to remove the screw spike or the track spike therefrom and to reinsert the spikes again without causing a destruction of this synthetic resin plastic, particularly then when the screw spike has formed a thread in the synthetic resin plastic.

The hardening synthetic resin plastic may suitably be mixed with a fillerfor instance, powdered quartz preferably in a weight ratio of 40 parts of synthetic resin plastic to 40 parts of a filler. The admixture of this filler increases the mechanical strength and insures a very secure anchoring of the screw spike and of the track spike after the synthetic resin plastic has hardened. In fact, this manner of attachment is capable of withstanding high stresses. After the insert has been inserted in the hole and the synthetic resin plastic has been filled into the hole 4, the screw spike 2 or the track spike is driven into the railway tie. The insert illustrated in FIG. 7 is not only suitable for the screw spike illustrated in the drawing but it is also suitable for four-corner track spikes because the rod portion 6 will then engage the plane faces of the track spikes and the transverse portions 7, 8 and 9 will be forced by the longitudinal edges of the track spike against and into the wall of the hole 4.

The drawing illustrates that interstices will be formed between the rod portions 6 of the insert and the screw plate 2, or between the insert and the track spike, and these interstices are completely filled with the synthetic resin plastic and produce a direct connection of the screw spike 2 and the track spike, respectively, with the wall of the bore, so that the screw spike or the track spike, respectively, is held principally by the hardened synthetic resin plastic mass in the hole. Furthermore, the insert makes it possible to give the screw spike or track spike, respectively, during the hardening procedure such a hole that during the period of hardening, at least a slow travel along the railway track can take place. In addition, the reinforcement inserted in the synthetic resin plastic insures a central insertion of the screw spike 2 or the track spike into the hole 4, so that the spike during the period of hardening of the resin remains in the desired position.

During the screwing-in of the screw spike 2 or during the driving-in of the track spike, the excess amount of synthetic resin plastic is forced into the annular space 11 formed between the shaft of the spike and the wall of the bore 15 in the bed plate 3 and furthermore, another amount of synthetic resin plastic is forced into the gap 10 between the lower face of the bed plate 3 and the top face of the tie 1 because, as previously stated, this gap 10 is formed by the distance pieces 20. In this manner also, the supporting surface for the railway tie 1, namely, the surface below the bed plate 3 is restored and after the hardening of the synthetic resin plastic, there is formed a supporting surface whose strength is substantially higher than that of the wood, so that any penetration of the bed plate 3 into the material of the railway tie 1 is counteracted. This reinforced surface forms together with the other filling of interstices a complete new and effective support for the spike in the railway tie and this support has an increased strength and prevents the entering of moisture into the material of the ties within the range of the bed plate 3, and therewith a further decay of this material is prevented.

When the screw spike 2 or the track spike is inserted into the railway tie, the synthetic resin plastic is not only displaced into the horizontal gap 10, but at the same time there is exerted a lateral pressure upon the synthetic resin plastic which causes the latter to enter into the wall of the hole 4 and even into any cracks within the wood within the range of the hole 4, so that also very effective sealing of the wall of the bore 4 is accomplished.

The distance pieces 20 mayfor instance consists of strips of foamed polystyrol which in a non-compressed condition has a thickness of about 4 mm, but when compressed still produces the desired gap between the bed plate 3 and the railway tie 1. These strips of foamed polystyrol prevent a lateral extrusion of the synthetic resin plastic along the edges 19. Preferably, the strips 20 consist of a material which is soluble in the synthetic resin plastic and-for instancemay consist of foamed polystyrol resin and, therefore, this material is dissolved by the mentioned synthetic resin plastic so as to produce a unitary synthetic resin plastic foundation for the bed plate 3. The milled grooves 21, likewise, will be filled with extruded synthetic resin plastic and in the present case there is formed a reinforcing rib extending entirely across the entire width of the railway tie, so that in this manner, at the same time an additional seal is produced between the bed plate 3 and the railway tie 1.

In FIG. 4 is illustrated an embodiment of the invention employing a concrete railway tie 1' in which the grooves 21 have been omitted, but in which the distance pieces 20' comprise U-shaped strips which extend along 1 l edges of the bed plate 3'.

In FIG. 8 is illustrated a modified attachment of the bed plate 3 to the railway tie which is distinguished from the embodiment of FIG. 5 by the fact, that as insert for the bored out hole 4 is used a helical spring 16, as illustrated in the FIGS. 9 and 10. The spring 16 is made of steel wire, and the thickness a of this wire is greater than the pitch depth b of the screw spike 2. The exterior diameter of the spring 16 in its undeformed condition is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the bore in the bed plate 3 and is approximately as large as the diameter of the bored out hole 4 in the wood, so that this spring 16 may be inserted smoothly through the bore 15 in the bed plate 3 and may be inserted easily into the bored out hole 4. The inner diameter of the helical spring 16 is, however, smaller than the core diameter of the screw spike 2 in its central portion. Since the end of the screw spike 2 is shaped somewhat conically, it may be easily inserted with its first convolution in the helical spring 16. During the continued screwing operation of the spike 2, the helical spring 16 is somewhat expanded and thereby digs itself in the form of a thread into the wall of the hole 4 in the wooden railway tie 1.

The upper end 17 of the first convolution of the helical spring 16 is somewhat enlarged, so that the insertion of the screw spike 2 is made somewhat easier. Still the bore 15 in the bed plate 3 permits the insertion of this helical spring 16. The other lower end of the helical spring 16 is bent inwardly, so as to form a transverse abutment 18 against which the end of the screw spike 2 will engage when completely threaded through the helical spring 16. In view of this, the helical spring 16 is screwed and moved effectively down to the bottom of the hole 4 in the wooden railway tie 1.

Also in this modified embodiment of the invention, the bored out hole 4 will be filled with a hardening synthetic resin plastic or a synthetic resin plastic hardening mixture before the spikes are inserted therein. The hardening mass will then become hard after the screw spikes 2 with the insert 16 therein have been inserted, so that a secure attachment of the screw spikes 2 in the wooden railway tie 1 has been accomplished, whereby at the same time the insertion of moisture is prevented.

The embodiment of the helical spring 16, as illustrated in the FIGS. 9 and 10, is made of a wire having a circular cross-section. The cross-section of the wire may, however, have any other desired shape. One could-for instanceemploy a wire whose cross-section has four corners or three corners. Also in such modified form of the spring, there are formed interstices which permit of a direct anchoring between the screw spike 2 and the track spike, respectively, with the wall of the bore 4 by the inserted synthetic resin plastic.

The effective diameter of the rods of the insert is suitably about 100 to 500 percent, but preferably about 400 percent greater than half of the difference between the diameter of the hole and the effective diameter of the screw spike 2 and the track spike, respectively. By effective diameter of the rods is understood that particular diameter at which the screw spike 2 or the track spike engages, while by effective diameter of the screw spike 2 is understood the exterior diameter of the thread of the threaded spike. When employing twisted four corner rod material, then the effective diameter of the rod is determined by the diagonal of the cross-section.

What I claim is:

1. Method for restoring of railway ties arranged in a railway track at the places where the bed plates are secured by spikes which pass through holes in the bed plates and enter into the railway ties, in which the method comprises the steps of drilling holes into the ties by a drill which passes smoothly through the holes in the bed plates and has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the spikes which were in said holes, cleaning the holes produced in this manner in said ties, placing distance pieces between the lower edges of said bed plates and the upper faces of the ties to form gaps between said bed plates and said ties, placing inserts of resistant material in said holes for bracing the spikes when the same are inserted in said holes, pouring a hardening synthetic resin plastic into said holes, and then inserting said spikes in said holes, said synthetic resin plastic being employed in such a quantity that it enters into said gaps when said spikes are driven into said resin-filled holes.

2. Method according to claim 1, in which a hardening synthetic resin plastic is used comprising a mixture of an unsaturated polyester and an unsaturated monomer which contains catalysts and accelerators.

3. Method according to claim 1, in which a hardening synthetic resin plastic is used comprising a mixture of an unsaturated polyester and an unsaturated monomer which contains catalysts and accelerators, and that a filler is added to said mixture, said filler comprising powdered quartz, the weight proportion of said mixture to said filler being 40.

4. Method according to claim 1, in which the distance pieces placed between the edges of the bed plates and the railway ties consist of an elastic material, particularly foamed synthetic resin plastic.

5. Method according to claim 1, in which the distance pieces placed between the edges of the bed plates and the railway ties consist of an elastic material, particularly foamed synthetic resin plastic, said elastic material being at least partially soluble in the hardening synthetic plastic which has been poured into said holes.

6. Method according to claim 1, in which said insert of resistant material comprises rod-shaped articles whose lengths are shorter than the depth of the holes produced in said railway ties.

7. A method according to claim 1, in which said inserts of resistant material provide each an abutment which is engaged by the end of the spike which is inserted in the hole of the tie.

8. A method according to claim 1, in which said inserts of resistant material comprise each a single length of an iron rod bent into four spaced parallel portions which are disposed lengthwise and parallel to the axis of the spikes to be inserted in said holes in said ties.

9. A method according to claim 1, in which said spikes comprise screw spikes, and in which said inserts of resistant material comprise helical members, the exterior diameter of which is not larger than the diameter of the holes in the ties, and whose inner diameters are at least of sufficient size to admit the first spiral of the screw spikes. 

1. Method for restoring of railway ties arranged in a railway track at the places where the bed plates are secured by spikes which pass through holes in the bed plates and enter into the railway ties, in which the method comprises the steps of drilling holes into the ties by a drill which passes smoothly through the holes in the bed plates and has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the spikes which were in said holes, cleaning the holes produced in this manner in said ties, placing distance pieces between the lower edges of said bed plates and the upper faces of the ties to form gaps between said bed plates and said ties, placing inserts of resistant material in said holes for bracing the spikes when the same are inserted in said holes, pouring a hardening synthetic resin plastic into said holes, and then inserting said spikes in said holes, said synthetic resin plastic being employed in such a quantity that it enters into said gaps when said spikes are driven into said resin-filled holes.
 2. Method according to claim 1, in which a hardening synthetic resin plastic is used comprising a mixture of an unsaturated polyester and an unsaturated monomer which contains catalysts and accelerators.
 3. Method according to claim 1, in which a hardening synthetic resin plastic is used comprising a mixture of an unsaturated polyester and an unsaturated monomer which contains catalysts and accelerators, and that a filler is added to said mixture, said filler comprising powdered quartz, the weight proportion of said mixture to said filler being 60 :
 40. 4. Method according to claim 1, in which the distance pieces placed between the edges of the bed plates and the railway ties consist of an elastic material, particularly foamed synthetic resin plastic.
 5. Method according to claim 1, in which the distance pieces placed between the edges of the bed plates and the railway ties consist of an elastic material, particularly foamed synthetic resin plastic, said elastic material being at least partially soluble in the hardening synthetic plastic which has been poured into said holes.
 6. Method according to claim 1, in which said insert of resistant material comprises rod-shaped articles whose lengths are shorter than the depth of the holes produced in said railway ties.
 7. A method according to claim 1, in which said inserts of resistant material provide each an abutment which is engaged by the end of the spike which is inserted in the hole of the tie.
 8. A method according to claim 1, in which said inserts of resistant material comprise each a single length of an iron rod bent into four spaced parallel portions which are disposed lengthwise and parallel to the axis of the spikes to be inserted in said holes in said ties. 